Delft Island
நெடுந்தீவு
A remote coral island in the Palk Strait with wild horses, coral-stone walls, baobab trees and the remains of a Dutch fort.
Delft Island (Tamil name Neduntheevu) is the largest island off the coast of Jaffna. The ferry from Kurikadduwan Pier takes about 1 hour. The island is crisscrossed with low walls of coral stone, and visitors can see the descendants of wild horses left by the Portuguese and Dutch, giant baobab trees brought by Arab traders, the Dutch fort, a pigeon house ruin, and “growing stones” said to get larger over time. Ferry services are infrequent, with departures in the morning and returns in the afternoon, and queues are common. On the island you can hire a tuk-tuk for a circuit of about 3 hours, but the trip must be done as a same-day return.
Opening hours
Ferries approx. 08:00 and 13:00 round trips (confirm on the day)
Nearby sights
- Nagadeepa Purana Vihara
- Nainativu Nagapooshani Amman Temple
- Fort Hammenhiel
- Charty Beach
- Casuarina Beach
- Jaffna Fort
- Jaffna Public Library
- Jaffna Market